Jimmy Kimmelmay have wrapped up his final show of 2025, but his criticisms of PresidentDonald Trumphave not gone on holiday break.
The late-night talk show hostspoke to U.K. TV audiencesin an alternative Christmas message on Britain's Channel 4, where he said "tyranny is booming" in the United States.
"My country's president would like to shut me up, because I don't adore him in the way he likes to be adored. The American government made a threat against me and the company I work for, and all of a sudden, we're off the air. But then, you know what happened? A Christmas miracle happened," he said.
Adam Carolla and Jimmy Kimmel from "The Man Show" appear on "The Tonight Show with Jay Leno" at the NBC Studios in Los Angeles on Nov. 19, 2001." style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> 
Jimmy Kimmell sits at a late night host practice desk and interviews with "TRL" host Carson Daly in New York on Jan. 14, 2003." style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> 
Jimmy Kimmel and Sarah Silverman during 2nd annual Lakers Casino Night Benefiting the Lakers Youth Foundation red carpet at Barker Hanger in Santa Monica, California, in 2005." style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> 
Jimmy Kimmel speaks onstage during the American Cinematheque 24th annual awards show to honor Matt Damon at The Beverly Hilton on March 27, 2010, in Beverly Hills, California." style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> 
Jimmy Kimmel and Emily Blunt onstage during the 16th annual Critics' Choice Movie Awards on Jan. 14, 2011." style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> 
Jimmy Kimmel and Flavor Flav at the American Music Awards in 2006. " style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> 
Jimmy Kimmel and NBA player Kobe Bryant in 2013." style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> 
Jimmy Kimmel and Molly McNearney in New York City in 2014." style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> 
Jimmy Kimmel, John Stamos and comedian Don Rickles in Beverly Hills, California, in 2015." style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> 
President Barack Obama talks with Jimmy Kimmel during a taping of his late-night talk show in 2015." style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> 
Hillary Clinton appears on the "Jimmy Kimmel Live!" show in 2016. " style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> 
Jimmy Kimmel, wife Molly McNearney and daughter Jane Kimmel attend the 7th annual L.A. Loves Alex's Lemonade at UCLA on Sept. 10, 2016, in Los Angeles." style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> 
Jimmy Kimmel attends the 2016 MusiCares Person of the Year honoring Lionel Richie at the Los Angeles Convention Center on Feb. 13, 2016 in Los Angeles." style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> 
Stephen Colbert and Jimmy Kimmel present the award for lead actress in a comedy series during the 71st Emmy Awards at the Microsoft Theater on Sept. 22, 2019." style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> 
Jimmy Kimmel court side at a Los Angeles Lakers game in 2023. " style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> 
Jimmy Kimmel delivers the opening monologue during the 96th Academy Awards on March 10, 2024." style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> 
Jimmy Kimmel watches the game between the Los Angeles Dodgers and the New York Yankees during game one of the 2024 MLB World Series at Dodger Stadium on Oct. 25, 2024." style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> 
Jimmy Kimmel, winner of the outstanding host for a game show award for "Who Wants to Be a Millionaire," attends the 2025 Creative Arts Emmy Awards at Peacock Theater on Sept. 7, 2025, in Los Angeles. " style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> Most memorable Jimmy Kimmel moments as his show returns to air after suspension
Adam Carolla and Jimmy Kimmel from "The Man Show" appear on "The Tonight Show with Jay Leno" at the NBC Studios in Los Angeles on Nov. 19, 2001.
During his speech, he addressed his pre-emptive hiatus in September when ABC pulled "Jimmy Kimmel Live!" off U.S. airwaves following criticism over comments he made aboutCharlie Kirk's fatal shooting. Trump-appointed FCC chairmanBrendan Carrhad pressured the network to take action against Kimmel, prompting outcry and accusations of government censorship.
Kimmel applauded the "millions of people who stood up and said 'this is not acceptable,'" including fans and critics of the show who joined in advocating for freedom of speech.
"Because so many people spoke out, we came back. Our show came back stronger than ever," he said. "We won, the president lost, and now I'm back on the air every night giving the most powerful politician on Earth a right and richly deserved bollicking."
White House spokesperson Abigail Jackson told USA TODAY: "Reacting to Jimmy Kimmel's 'Christmas speech' would require me to watch it, and like many Americans, I didn't even know it was happening. Jimmy has unfortunately wasted his time — yet again — doing something no one cares to watch. Merry Christmas!"
Kimmel warns the U.K. about 'King Donny the Eighth'
The Emmy-winning comedian said he was delivering this message to warn the U.K. that government silencing doesn't only happen in Russia, North Korea, or Los Angeles, adding, "That's what we thought."
"And now we've got King Donny VIII calling for executions," Kimmel quipped, referencing a Nov. 20 Truth Social post where Trump accused six Democratic members of Congress of "SEDITIOUS BEHAVIOR, punishable by DEATH!"Trump later clarified in a Nov. 21 interview on Fox News Radio's "Brian Kilmeade Show" that he was not actually threatening Democratic lawmakers with execution.
Kimmel also recounted the series of nationwide"No Kings" proteststhis year that condemned the Trump Administration.
"Just for the record, we have nothing against your king. I mean, I don't know if you know this, but his son lives here," he quipped, alluding toPrince Harry. "Some of us just have a problem with the guy who thinks he is our king. Here in the United States, right now, we are both figuratively and literally tearing down the structures of our democracy, from the free press to science, to medicine, to judicial independence, to the actual White House itself."
He continued: "We are a right mess, and we know this is also affecting you, and I just wanted to say, sorry, and we want you to know, or at least, I want you to know, that we're not all like him. We're not all like that."
Kimmel urged people in the U.K. to have faith in Americans this holiday season as the U.S. goes "through a bit of a wobble right now."
"We'll come around. It may not seem like it, but we love you guys. We even love the things about you that you don't like. LikeSimon Cowell, for instance. We are not bright. We're Americans. No one knows better than you. We're always just a little bit late to the game. But do we come through in the end? Maybe. Give us about three years, please."
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY:Jimmy Kimmel warns UK about 'King Donny VIII' in Trump Xmas message